Imagine your car alerting you about an issue and telling you to pull over as soon as possible in the next 20 to 30 seconds before the transmission disengages and renders your car unable to move. That is the reality 122,000 Hyundai and Kia owners could be facing at any moment.
Hyundai is expected to recall six models, and Kia is expected to recall two of its models with the same problem. A statement from Kia to Lifehacker about the recall reads, in part:
The electric oil pump within the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) may experience an internal fault due to a quality deviation issue at the supplier. As a result, the subject vehicles may set a diagnostic trouble code with warnings and allow the vehicle to be driven normally for 20-30 seconds, followed by complete loss of motive power due to disengagement of the transmission drive gears. Loss of motive power increases the risk of a crash.
Kia reports that there have been are no fatalities, injuries, or crashes reported related to this issue. Hyundai did not respond to Lifehacker’s request for comment.
Which cars will be recalled?
The following models and years are the cars affected by the recall:
- 2021-2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
- 2021-2022 Hyundai Sonata
- 2021-2022 Hyundai Veloster N
- 2022 Hyundai Elantra N
- 2022 Hyundai Kona N
- 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
- 2021-2023 Kia K5
- 2021-2022 Kia Sorento
What to do if your vehicle is being recalled
Expect an official paper notification to reach your mailbox by early December. If you’d rather not wait that long, you can contact Hyundai customer service at 855-371-9460 and mention internal recall number 236, or contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542 and mention recall number SC250. If you have one of the models with the respective years mentioned above, the automakers ask that you take the car to the dealer for a transmission inspection and software update.
Another option is to call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. The NHTSA campaign number for the Hyundai issue is 22V746000, the campaign number for the Kia recall is 22V760000. Hyundai and Kia drivers can also check if their VIN comes up with any recalls on their website or with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
